: Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), a part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), has received accreditation for eight of its core certificate and diploma programmes from the Institute of Hospitality, the world-renowned entity dedicated to the career development of tourism professionals worldwide.

DCT submitted eight programmes for accreditation, namely, Certificate in Culinary Arts; Certificate in Events; Certificate in Hospitality; Certificate in Tourism; Diploma in Culinary Arts; Diploma in Events Management; Diploma in Hospitality Management; and Diploma in Tourism Management. These programmes were developed by DCT with the twin goals of meeting the demands of the industry for skilled young professionals and to prepare Emiratis for careers across tourism touchpoints, in line with Dubai’s tourism growth strategy.

The London-based Institute of Hospitality is an international membership organisation of professionals based in over 100 countries and representing all sectors of the industry, from hotels and food service to leisure, tourism and academia. It also functions as a recognised international body in the field of Accreditation and Endorsement for hospitality, leisure and tourism programmes of learning, and is known for its rigorous evaluation of educational programmes to ensure they meet accepted international standards.

Commenting on the accreditation, Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT, said: “Dubai College of Tourism is proud to receive this globally recognised accreditation from the Institute of Hospitality.  It is testament to the integrity of our international standards across curriculum and faculty and allows us to provide students with the highest quality and relevant training that helps them achieve their academic goals, as well as enabling us to meet the needs of the industry. Gaining accreditation by such a prestigious professional body is also a recognition of DCT’s commitment to continuously strive for excellence to ensure that our graduates are even more readily welcomed by employers in the tourism sector.”

Peter Ducker FIH, Chief Executive, Institute of Hospitality said, “The Dubai College of Tourism is an excellent college offering exceptional vocational training and we are delighted to welcome them to our global network. We believe that their certificate and diploma programmes meet the highest quality standards and will provide learners with the skills and knowledge required to progress an exciting career in the hospitality industry.”

In meeting the criteria for accreditation, Dubai College of Tourism was commended for its well-designed and comprehensive certificate and diploma programmes, its strong relationships with the industry and its the innovative approach to maintaining the industrial placements for students, the publication of a Quality Management Handbook, the range and thoroughness of DCT’s policies and procedures and its intention to appoint External Examiners.

The institute’s accreditation panel of experts, in particular, praised the detailed and well-considered adjustments that DCT made in meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, in both facilitating online delivery and in the virtual environment for all aspects of the programme and the support given to students especially in the areas of professional skills development. With the health and safety of students being the key priority of DCT in the current situation, DCT provided a range of innovative virtual internships to students who finished their academic year to ensure they were able to prepare for the next stage of their career without any disruption to their studies or affecting their mentorship and training opportunities.

The eight programmes were developed in line with the requirements of Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) framework and are designed within a Vocational Education and Training (VET) progression pathway that will culminate with an applied bachelor’s degree. Designed around industry best practices, these programmes are aimed at maximising career opportunities within Dubai’s travel and tourism workforce. All programmes at certificate and diploma level include mandatory internships with leading industry partners. The accreditation by the Institute of Hospitality is an international assurance of the quality of the programmes and makes it even more compelling for students to pursue a career path at DCT.

With many students in Dubai having recently received exam results which may determine where they attend college, DCT aims to support potential students who are interested in pursuing a tourism-related career. The College looks at each student individually and holistically and not just at testing results and has a range of scholarships and awards available for the new academic year commencing in September. Details of the 2020 Scholarships Programme are available at https://dct.ac.ae/about-dct/fees-and-scholarships/ DCT is also conducting Open Days by appointment for students and parents interested in seeking more information. For details visit https://dct.ac.ae/admissions/dct-open-days/